Lalitha Sahasranamam 968 - 976

Sukhakarī सुखकरी (968)

She gives happiness. Her lineament of giving happiness to Her devotees is discussed in nāma 125, 192 and 953.

Suveṣāḍhyā सुवेषाढ्या (969)

Suveṣa means beautifully adorned. This is the symbol of Her auspiciousness in terms of nāma-s 51 and 967. The one who is thus adorned is described in the next nāma.

Suvāsinī सुवासिनी (970)

A woman who is auspiciously dressed and lives with her spouse is called suvāsin.

The qualities of a suvāsin are described by Anasūyā in Vālmīki Rāmāayaṇa (ayodhākāṇḍa, Canto 117, verses 22 to 24). “Oh! Proud Sītā! Worlds that are attended with great prosperity await those women to whom their husband is dear, no matter whether he lives in a city or a forest, whether he is propitious or adverse. In the eyes of women who are blessed with a noble disposition, the husband is the highest deity, no matter whether he is ill-mannered or licentious or entirely devoid of riches. Though deeply pondering, I do not see for a woman, a friend greater than her husband and more capable of yielding one’s desired object at all places like the imperishable fruit of one’s austerities.”

Again in Canto 39 verse 22 says (Rāma’s mother Kausalyā speaks to Sītā thus) “Neither noble birth nor good turn, nor learning, nor gift nor even marriage ties capture the heart of such women, who are in fact devoted to good conduct, truthfulness and the percept of their elders and keep within the bounds of decorum laid down for their family, their husband is the most sacred object and he alone excels all.”

Yet again Sītā says (Sundarakāṇḍa – canto 24 – verse 9), “I am devoted to my husband, Śrī Rāma, the foremost of the Ikṣvākus, in the same way as the highly blessed śacī waits upon Indra, as does Arundhatī upon sage Vasiṣṭha and Rohiṇī (the foremost of the twenty seven spouses of the Moon god, presiding over the same number constellations appearing in the sky) on the Moon god, as does, Lopāmudrā upon sage Agastya and Sukanyā did upon sage Cyavana, as Sāvitrī did upon Satyavān and Śrīmatī upon Lord Kapila, as Madayantī did upon King Saudāsa and Keśinī upon King Sagara, and as Damayantī, daughter of Bhīma, was devoted to her husband, Nala.”

Based on the above references in Rāmāayaṇa, suvāsini not merely means the one who is well dressed, but also endowed with good qualities.

Since Lalitāmbikā is not only auspiciously and graciously dressed but also is the embodiment of all good qualities, She is addressed as suvāsini by Vāc Devi-s.

Suvāsinyarcana-prītā सुवासिन्यर्चन-प्रीता (971)

She is pleased when She is worshipped by suvāsini-s discussed in the previous nāma. Such suvāsini-s are highly revered and worshipped at the end of navāvaraṇapūja.

Āśobhanā आशोभना (972)

Saundarya Laharī consists of two parts, Ānanda Lahari (1 to 41) and Saundarya Laharī (42 to 100). The first forty one verses talk about bliss and the next fifty nine verses talk about Her beauty.

Śuddhamānasā शुद्धमानसा (973)

She is pure minded. If the mind is associated with senses, it becomes impure. She can be realised only in the purest form of consciousness, a product of mind, where the mind becomes focused on Her alone, devoid of other thoughts. This is achieved through meditation.

She is not affected by karma-s and impressions (vāsana), hence She is pure minded.

Such descriptions are based on the fact that the Brahman is omnipresence and the great saying “I am That”. When one considers himself as That (the Brahman), he should be aware of the qualities of the Brahman. This nāma says that purity of mind is one of the essential qualities of the Brahman. Such descriptions make a practitioner to understand the qualities of the Brahman, so that he can practice and implement them in order to become Brahman himself (realising the Brahman).

Bindu-tarpaṇa-santuṣṭā बिन्दु-तर्पण-सन्तुष्टा (974)

She is happy if offerings are made in the bindu. Bindu has already been discussed in nāma 905 baindavāsanā. The central point of Śrī Cakra is called bindu. It is placed in the midst of the inner most (top most in the case of Meru) triangle, that is discussed in nāma 976. Bindu is called sarvānanda maya cakra, also known as baindava sthāna. She is worshipped here with viśeṣa argya and flowers. Preparation and offering of viśeṣa argya is one of the important rituals of Śrī Cakra navāvaraṇapūja. Offering viśeṣa argya on the bindu is called tarpaṇa. Sudha Devi is invoked in the vessel containing viśeṣa argya. This is an elaborate procedure involving a lot of rituals and mantra-s. Viśeṣa argya should be prepared purely according to the instructions of one’s guru. Left hand worshippers add wine and other intoxicating materials to viśeṣa argya.

Pūrvajā पूर्वजा (975)

She exists even before creation. It is said that Śiva created Her and She created the universe. Brahman is the eternal reality. Māyā or illusion may be described as something that has the appearance of a transient reality. Brahman has no name and form, bur Māyā is full of names and forms and projected as the blunder of illusory phenomenal existence. Māyā is the creation of the Brahman. This reasons out this nāma. This nāma can also be explained in terms of nāma 397.

Tripurāmbikā त्रिपुराम्बिका (976)

Tripurāmbikā is the presiding deity of eighth āvaraṇa or covering of Śrī Cakra. This āvaraṇa is the innermost triangle of Śrī Cakra in the midst of which is the bindu, the central point of Śrī Cakra, is placed. It can also be construed that towards the end of this Sahasranāma, the goddess of the eighth āvaraṇa is worshipped by Vāc Devi-s. This triangle forms Her subtler form kāmakalā. Tripurāmbikā means mother of triads. Triad refers to creation, sustenance and mahat (the great principle, the buddhi, Intellect, or the intellectual principle (according to the Sāṃkhya philosophy the second of the twenty three principles produced from prakṛiti and so called as the great source of ahaṃkāra (ego), self-consciousness, and manas, the mind). The three lines of this triangle represent all that is in the form of triads (for example creation, sustenance and dissolution; sleep, dream and deep sleep stages, etc)

Each corner of this triangle is guarded by Vāmā, Vajreśvarī and Bhagamālinī, the three important Devi-s of Śrī Cakra. Vāmākeśvara tantra (IV.9, 10) says “She is vāmā, śikhā, jyeṣṭā, the maker of triangles. As Raudri She swallows the universe. She is the ultimate unified Śaktī, the Parameśvarī, Tripura, the very self of Brahma, Viṣṇu and Īśa.”

In the ninth āvaraṇa, She is worshipped as the sum total of all the triads as Lalitāmbikā. All the triads unite into a single bindu in the ninth āvaraṇa. Sat, cit and ānanda, all the three unite at the bindu to become the Supreme Brahman where She shines eternally as the nirguṇaBrahman.